


The Lives We Lead - Vesperia Edition

by GarnetSeren



Series: The Lives We Lead [3]
Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Bonding, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship/Love, Getting Together, Love, Male-Female Friendship, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Romantic Friendship, do not copy to another site
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:40:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24259789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarnetSeren/pseuds/GarnetSeren
Summary: This is a collection of Tales of Vesperia one-shots, the summary for each 'chapter' can be found at the start of each page.1. Respect - Estelle contemplates Yuri and their friendship2. Loyalty - Yuri doesn't understand why people don't see how strong Estelle is
Relationships: Estellise Sidos Heurassein & Yuri Lowell, Estellise Sidos Heurassein/Yuri Lowell
Series: The Lives We Lead [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703179
Kudos: 14





	1. Respect

The night was still and quiet. The only sounds to be heard were the crickets chirping in the tall grass and Repede's canines yawns, along with Karol and Raven's snoring in their tent. Judy and Rita were also asleep, though no matter how hard she tried Estellise just couldn't manage to fall asleep. Too many thoughts where whirling in her mind, so she crept out of the tent she shared with the other women, and couldn't help smiling when she found Yuri tending to their campfire; the light cast from the flickering flames dancing over his handsome face, whilst the shadows made his long inky black hair almost as dark as the night sky.

“Couldn't sleep?” he asked, without glancing up.

Estellise shook her head and tucked some of her pastel pink hair behind her ear, before she went to sit on the log beside him. She could tell from the way Yuri stared into the embers there was something troubling him, which made Estellise wonder when she'd become so familiar with the charismatic warrior. Of course she'd been impressed with his swordsman ship when they'd first met, and she'd been touched by his kindness when he not only helped her escape the palace... that had once been her home, but had become a gilded cage... but also for the fact he genuinely cared for her well being. Not Princess Estellise Sidos Heurassein, imperial candidate. But the real person she was behind to perfect manners and pretty dresses, that no one else had ever bothered to see.

“What's on your mind, Yuri?” she asked, gently.

“Just trying to figure out what our next move should be,” he replied, angling his body to face her.

“I understand. I didn't even think I'd be able to continue travelling with you... I'm still trying to decide if I should.” Estellise explained, though quickly changed the subject. “You're really going to put your all into this Guild, aren't you?”

The corner of Yuri's mouth quirked up into a half smile. “I'd like to say I'll just go with the flow, but I went and bragged to Flynn about it. Now I've got to give it my all.”

Honestly, Estellise didn't understand the weird relationship between the two men; one minute they seemed like friends, then the next it was obvious there was bad blood between them. However, after overhearing the way Flynn often spoke about her to Yuri... as if she was some silly girl that had no thought or willpower of her own, as if she was property rather than a thinking, feeling person... Estellise had begun to wonder if she'd even been friends with the young Knight Captain at all, or if he'd always seen her as some wilting flower who needed protecting. Even though she'd never admitted it outside the privacy of her own thoughts, it infuriated Estellise how people treated her; the only exception before Yuri had been her Swordmaster, but even he had been overly lenient with her when she'd first convinced him to train her. Despite her nobility, Estellise had always felt trapped. She rarely spoke her inner most thoughts and feelings... having been raised to believe that a princess should always be polite, congenial and unassuming... but Estellise couldn't deny that if there was anyone who wouldn't mind her speaking her true mind, it would be Yuri.

“Karol certainly seems happy,” she smiled, before quietly admitting: “I'm a little jealous.”

Yuri chuckled, warm and friendly. “Does her majesty the Princess wish to join our humble guild?”

“If I asked you to let me in... would you let me?” Estellise asked earnestly, not daring to meet his dark eyes.

To her surprise, Yuri lightly rested his calloused hand over hers; halting the way she wrung hers together nervously. She glanced up at him then, her breath catching in her throat from the serious look he was giving her... as if he was treating what she'd said like a genuine question, and not some flight of fancy like every other man she'd ever met would think it to be. Something unclenched in her chest then, even as she waited with almost baited breath for his answer. It was so like Yuri to treat even her most random questions and unexpected impulses like they were worthy of consideration, and that fact alone would have won him her unwavering loyalty. Every other kindness he showed her was a bonus at this point, and she'd never stop thanking the stars that she'd been lucky enough to meet him... that they'd become friends and travelling companions.

“Estelle, if you've thought about this and it's your decision, I won't try to stop you,” he told her.

“Yes... you're right. I should really give this some more thought,” she agreed, trying not to smile.

“Don't think _too_ hard about it, or you'll end up like Flynn,” Yuri replied, dead.

Unable to help it, Estellise giggled; feeling lighter than she had in a long while.


	2. Loyalty

There was the screech of metal on metal, as Yuri clashed swords with his one-time friend, turned imperial pain in the ass. He'd heard the expression 'dumb blond' before, but he honestly couldn't understand why Flynn couldn't get it into his thick skull that regardless of being a princess, Estelle was her own person who could think for herself. All Yuri had done since the moment they'd met when they'd both been fleeing the palace... for very different reasons... was to offer her support. Estelle was an intelligent woman and accomplished swords wielder, but she'd led a _very_ sheltered life through no fault of her own, and it had been pretty obvious she needed a helping hand. Since he'd already been planning to leave the city, it wasn't a hard decision to keep an eye on her until she found her barrings, but it soon became apparent Estelle was watching his back just as much as he was watching hers. They'd quickly become friends, and the more she opened up... which was painstakingly slowly compared to the rest of their companions... the more Yuri realised how unjustly she'd been treated her entire life. People hadn't seen her as a person but a commodity, and after discovering that, he'd developed a deep seated _need_ to help Estelle learn how to speak her own mind.

“Don't you think it's time you returned her highness?” Flynn asked haughtily, regarding him coolly over the top of their locked swords.

Yuri grit his teeth; furious that even someone Estelle thought of as a friend, treated her like she had no agency of her own. She might not have street smarts, but she was one of the most intelligent people he'd ever met, and her compassion for others was unparalleled. The whole reason Estelle had fled the palace and started her journey was her desire to learn more about the world, drive by her desire to help people in need... which was a decision she'd made for herself long before their chance encounter all those months ago.

“You'll have to take it up with the lady herself,” he snapped, angrily.

Grunting with the effort, Yuri managed to shove Flynn away hard enough that the imperial knight stumbled as he was forced backwards. However, Yuri had trained enough with the man to know the way he thought, so he braced himself for Flynn's retaliation. Though when the blond lunged forward once more, Yuri was surprised that it wasn't his blade that met the Knight Captain's with a clang, but Estelle's shield.

“I don't expect you to understand, but I want to continue the journey,” she announced, polite and calm like always.

Despite the situation, Yuri couldn't help smirking proudly at Estelle as he took up a fighting stance beside her; where he belonged. There was always a thrill when fighting side-by-side with the pink haired swords-woman, but hearing Estelle speak her mind so unashamedly, honestly made Yuri's heart swell with pride. The fact she could meet Flynn's eye and state that without apologising, proved just how much she'd grown since they'd started their journey. So when she briefly glanced at him... for his reaction or some reassurance, Yuri wasn't sure... before her gaze had locked once more on the very confused Knight Captain, who'd actually backed away after Estelle had expertly blocked him, Yuri couldn't help grinning as he admitted:

“Now _that's_ what I wanted to hear!”

From the small smile that pulled at Estelle's lips, Yuri was positive she knew exactly what he meant.


End file.
